


Don't Forget a Jacket, It's a Little Chilly Out Today

by rayofsonnshine



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Death fic warning, M/M, Thanks, That means Angst, that means i wanna cry, that means pls don't read this if you like fluff, that means someone dies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-29
Updated: 2018-01-13
Packaged: 2019-02-08 06:14:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12858510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rayofsonnshine/pseuds/rayofsonnshine
Summary: if the death threat storyline had been continued. and if we had received the worst possible ending to that storyline. as if we didn't have enough death threat fics on this goddamn site. love yall





	1. Chapter 1

The courthouse is often overcrowded, something Sonny and Barba have grown used to in their years working with SVU. 

It’s loud, simply put. 

As Sonny walks with Barba down a bustling hallway, he strains to hear what Barba is trying to tell him. He pulls Sonny to the side of the hallway, his hand wrapped tightly around his forearm.

“Detective, this is going to sound crazy,” Barba says, gazing up at Sonny with an expression he’d never seen before.

“What?” Sonny shouts over the sound of cameras flashing as a wave of reporters rush down the hallway.

“I said, this is going to sound crazy,” he repeats, pulling Carisi closer to him in an attempt to keep their conversation private.

Sonny doesn’t mind. Barba begins speaking rapidly, the bizarre expression still on his face. 

Sonny blinks once, twice, to clear his head from those daily intrusive thoughts. The ones he’d been trying to suppress since he’d arrived at the precinct for the first time.

Barba pauses, his eyes uncharacteristically darting back and forth across the hallway. “You’re not listening to me.”

“Just tell me what you want to say,” Sonny whispers extremely loudly, though it didn’t really make a difference due to the sheer racket coming from around them.

“Detective, you—you have to listen to me. Please,” he pleads, his voice tinged with worry. “I think someone’s following me. It has to be related to those threats.”

Carisi hesitates for a moment. “You think—you think what?”

“Oh my god, I don’t have time for this right now. You know what, never mind. Forget I said anything.”

“No, wait. This is serious. Why would they be following you? You haven’t received any threats for months.”

Barba glances at the ground.

“Are you kidding me? Counselor, how long has this been happening?”

“They never stopped. I didn’t want to get a security detail or anything, but they’ve been getting more frequent.”

Sonny looks down and notices Barba’s hand still grasping his arm. “You’re telling me you’ve been getting these threats for months and you didn’t tell anyone because—because you thought you could deal with it on your own?”

Barba’s face contorts. “Well when you put it like that—look. I don’t have time for you to yell at me right now. I just…” he trails off. “All day I’ve felt these—these eyes on the back of my head.”

Sonny’s brow furrows with worry. “I’m gonna call Liv.”

“Wait, don’t—“ Barba bites his lip, surprised at his own outburst. “I mean—I mean, don’t call her yet. We can do that at my apartment.”

“We?”

“Do you want me to spell this shit out for you, Detective? I need you to go home with me. Now.”

Taken in any other context, Sonny would be thanking his lucky stars he’d finally heard Barba say that. 

“Of course, Counselor,” Sonny winks, nudging Barba lightly with his elbow.Rafael allows a small smile, his first in a long time. “Jesus Christ.”

He begins pulling the detective by the sleeve of his coat down the hallway, muttering apologies to those he’s bumped into on his way towards the door.

“Wait, Barba. I mean—Counselor,” Sonny pulls him to the side of the hallway again.

“What? I want to go home, is that too much to ask for?”

“Are you—are you sure you’re okay? I’m worried about you.”

Barba glares at him. “I’m fine, Detective. Don't make me regret asking for your help."

Sonny rolls his eyes in response and watches as Barba paces briskly down the hallway, quickly vanishing into the crowd.

A gunshot rings out.

 

The room falls silent.

 

Everything is quiet.

 

Someone collapses to the ground, and people begin screaming, making a run for the door. Sonny rushes towards the sound of the gunshot.

Lying on the floor, a deep red stain on his jacket growing, is Rafael Barba.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> kinda short. i'm sorry

Sonny’s already kneeling at Barba’s side, feeling the growing puddle of blood begin to soak through his pants. “Barba, stay with me--” he shouts, propping his head and torso in his lap. Face warped in pain, the awestruck lawyer struggles to tear his eyes away from the growing stain just below his heart. 

“Counselor--” Carisi rips a hole into his shirt without hesitation, placing his hand over the bloody hole piercing his lung, preventing the flow of air into the wound.

Barba heaves for air suddenly, his eyes bulging and his hand grasping at Sonny’s jacket. He coughs, and a trickle of blood trails down his chin. 

“Rafael, can you hear me? I need you to stay with me, help is on the way.” he says, hoping to God it was. 

“Carisi…” Barba mumbles, hand still gripping Sonny’s jacket. “Oh god--” He coughs again, sending blood spilling from his mouth. 

“You’re gonna be okay,” Carisi can already feel tears building up. “Can you breathe?”

With some effort, Barba wheezes, his eyes watering.

“Help is on the way, I promise. Just--please hold on,” Sonny repeats, applying pressure to the wound. He glances around the room, seeing nobody. 

The faint whine of an ambulance sends a pang of relief through Carisi’s chest. 

Barba’s wheezing grows louder, and he coughs again, struggling to keep his eyes open. Sonny wipes the blood from his face. “You’re gonna be okay, it’s okay.” 

“Carisi…” he mutters again, his voice weak. “Sonny.”

“I’m sorry, Rafael. I...I couldn’t protect you.”

More blood pours from Barba’s mouth. Gagging, Barba grasps Carisi’s face, smearing blood on his cheek. “Sonny, please…” he chokes out, his breathing labored. 

Heavy footsteps, dozens of them, echo through the hallway. Emergency responders flood inside. 

Barba is hoisted onto a stretcher.

Whisked away before Sonny can even react. 

The bloodsoaked detective runs after them, tears streaming down his cheeks. He catches his last glimpse of Rafael as the stretcher is placed into the back of an ambulance. Sprinting down the courthouse steps, he watches as it pulls away. 

 

***

 

“Where is he?” Sonny struggles to pull his police badge from his belt, his hands shaking. “Where the hell is he?” 

The hospital employee points down the hallway. He turns and runs into Olivia Benson. 

“Lieu--where's Barba?”

She says nothing, simply staring at him. 

“Oh God--” he whimpers, seeing the look on her face. Inexplicable, immense grief. 

“Dead on arrival.” Amanda finally musters, tears in her eyes.

Trembling, Sonny slides to the floor, hands covering his face. 

His shoulders shake as he cries.

“I could’ve saved him,” he whispers, eyes bloodshot as he looks back up at the two after a moment. “If I’d just listened to him.”

“We have to go, Sonny,” Amanda offers him her hand. “I’m sorry.”

Liv’s already walked off, Fin trailing behind her. 

Sonny grasps her hand, eyes wet and heart aching immeasurably. “I could’ve done something, yknow. I just--I just held him.”

“There’s nothing you could’ve done,” Amanda looks up at him. “His lung was punctured.” 

Shaking his head, the detective covers his face again, letting out a gasping sob. “I could’ve saved him,” he repeats. “but I didn’t.”


End file.
